Village of Beulah seeks partial state support after EGLE citations for failing sewer system

Representative Roth said the Village of Beulah’s sewer system is failing and the community faces difficult choices unless funds are found: carry the full cost through loans and very high monthly user charges or risk system closure. He asked the subcommittee to consider partial state support to avoid a severe local outcome. Nut graf: Roth said the village (about 380 homes on the system) has been repeatedly cited by EGLE, has received an EGLE engineering grant of $1.7 million, and that a combination of USDA loans and state assistance could complete a roughly $12 million project that otherwise could burden households with large monthly charges. Roth described a change in local leadership and said the incoming village board has pursued grants and loans actively; he said he would consider supporting about half of the $12 million project in combination with new local loan commitments and stricter maintenance practices going forward. He said EGLE had at one point been ready to close the system but has since agreed to continue working with the village under the new administration. Ending: No committee vote was recorded; proponents said they would continue pursuing USDA loan funding and pursue the combination of local loan and state support required to avoid system failure.